Collapsible awning



Sept. 30, 1952 F. E. NELSON COLLAPSIBLE AWNING 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Jan. 26, 1951 l31),"1'91'12 F. E. NELSON COLLAPSIBLE AWNING 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 26, 1951 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 g' UNITED .STATES PATE-Ng.;

f l -coLLaPsIBLEAWNINGj i 'Y v FredercltNelson, Grreyclntree, "fr v y j Application aannames, Neisseria-Na 297.gif;

'This invention relates generallyv to lcollapsible awnings andv more particularly; t'ov acollapsible awningV made up of rigid r'sections that telescope into one another when closed. i' 1i Collapsible awnings made of sheetinetal are on ay g-uidefbarthat may engage-andr against a portionof' Athe next larger-v --section l the awning.; Thislguide bar keepsthe adjacenjtpanl surfaces from becomingfscratchedf y Well yknown in the art. Howeveigtheirstru tures are expensive to manufacture andare not conducive to good appearance as the-sections do not have adequate clearance and theyv slide-and scrape on one another removing-thepaint and causing deep and ugly scratches'-onf" thefbroad faces of' the sections. If additional clearance wasprovided kin' such prior fart striicturfes,V they could not perform'as intended by their disclosures.- I'hey would lloe too flimsy-andilexible to properly'- operate. Even 'though-the gauge of the metal would` be relativelyheavyand the edgesbound -with'beads orA *turned infiafnges theirstructures are boun'dto iiex Iand` cause" one" part to scrape against another *resufltinrgi *dis-1 figured unsightly awnings. Whenniadeoffsheet steel the -scratched placessoonVrust making it necessaryfto remove and repaint lfor discard the awnings l'ca r'itirely. j y *Another 'disadvantage of the closely spaced sections "ofthe present collapsible*awnin'gsi'is that 'it' prevents airl from ireelyl-fcirculating through fthe awning. if i The principal object ofv this linvention T' is fthe provision lof an improved collapsible "metal awning structure that Visfsirnple'in constructionA makin'g'it economical to reproducei nThe awning comprising this invention may be constructed of light vgauge aluminum panels; cut' from relatively narrow stock `and fabricated with some heavierparts to provide afrigid structure which results inv an inexpensive awning.' `ll'ach of fthe collapsible'sections of the awning is yrjnadejof three "panels, two sides and a top. All 'ortiie sideflpanels for each section may-be ycut' with the-lsame dies -although the sectionsareprogressively smaller. The same is true of `the "top panels. This feature materially aids in maintaining a low initial cost of` this collapsible awning f '1A continuously outwardly extending marginal ange falong-the front edgeI of eachv panel and afright'angle corner plate-is used to connect;the flanges 1on adjacent top and side panelstol'fdrm ari'gid Aframe for each section-'of 'the'awning.r '1 rEhe-joint between the ends'ofjthe topjpanel andthe side panels has a bearing platerfastened therein. One edge of thesel bearing/fplatesfis' continuous and extends beyond "th'eouter `face off the section. Y -This continuous edge functions afo of aside panel'of an awning' sectionfj* The'right v'angle corner plates; and 'thefbearin'g' plates at' ea'chcorner of each section' are#prefereA ablyjfmade vof -hea-vy stock-and in'--cor'nbiiiatio with the marginal 'langevtheylinalielarigidy ec-i tion out-of fvery 'lightgauge vpanelsfv# Cther yobjects and advantages'= appear'in the vfollowing description and 'clairn LL'Iihe-" accompanying Edrawing shows', 4for' the purpose-of eXe'mplii-lcation without, 1limiting the invention *or claim thereto,y certain practical enri-y bodimentsgoftheinvention--wherein: f Fig-.1 1 is' 'la' perspective e view partially.' extended: f f v- 'Fig-f2 isa `lView -in front "elevation howing the awning collapsed; f Fig. 3 v is an isometric view 0f one section lof ""Fg:'-'f.1. 'yis lan enlarged iviei'y of the lfe ilaricate' 'i corner-'of a Isection with parts broken-'away; T-

with fthe awning "Fig, "1 2 is a sectional view' @bearing-plate. Referring-to"'Figs'. rtoi); inclusivefo'f the drawings it lwill be f noted th'atthe collapsible awning! isl made ii'pof a series of sections; each section being capable .0f telescoping within-fthe next larger section fto' ffully 1 collapse fthe awning sie @deed-wm 4vview lookjing'under 4the and 4 that lie in a common plane are provided with the bayonet slots I enabling the awning to be readily inserted over lugs secured to the face of the building. This type of construction permits the awning to be readily removable without defacing or otherwise removing parts from the surface of the building itself. The last or largest sections II of the awning are riveted or otherwise secured to the outwardly projecting flanges 'Ir ofthe langles 3 and 4 and to the outwardly projecting flange 6 of the cross panel 5.

Each of the multiple sections I2 of the collapsible awning, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is illustrated in Fig. 3 and comprises a top panel member I3 and the side panel members I4 and I5. Each side panel, as shown in Fig. 5, isprovided with an inturned flange I6 at the upper end thereof and an outwardly extending marginal 4 the adjacent sections when the collapsible awning is closed. Likewise the upwardly projecting flange 23 of the top panels I3 masks and closes the Ventilating space between the top panels of eachof thesections.

The rearwardly extending flanges 24 on the top of the outwardly extending anges 23 of the top panels I3, engage the face of the right angle corner plates 25 of the next larger section. Thus, we'h'ave a line engagement produced only by the rear edge of ther flange 24 whichr prevents the structure from being marred, as the heavy right v angle corner plates will receive the engagement of the rear edge of the aluminum flange 24. A

flange II along the face thereof. The siclepanel I5 has the same flanges although the top flange is turnedinwardly under the top panel I3. As shown in Figs. 4 to 8 the inwardly projecting flange I6 of the side panel I4 is rivetedvor otherwise secured to I8. However, the v bearing plate 2U is secured intermediate of the flange I6 and theunderface of f the end of the panel I3. The rivets I Ssecure the end ofthe top panel I3 and thetop of the side panel together and with the bearingplat interposed therebetween. l g

The outer side edge ofthe bearing plate 2 0 is provided with a continuousmarginal yguide bar 2 I and therear of the bearing plate 2l! is provided withan upwardly andforwardly projectinghook or extension 22. VThe bearing plate, yas fshown in Fig. 6, is the same for each end of eachftop panel member I3, and the continuous guide bar 2I-may be either side of the plate 20 depending upon which lside of the sectionwthe v.plate is mounted. n .Y

Each top panel I3 is provided with an upwardly extending flange 23 that has a rearwardly-extending portion .24. YThus, the outwardlyprojecting flange 23k of the top panel I3 and the upwardly projecting flanges I'I of the side panels VI4 and I5 providea rigid frame when secured at their adjacentV ends by the right angle corner plates, 25 wlriclgiis` shown in Fig. 7. The right angle corner plates 25 match the outer edge of the flanges I1 and y23. However, their inner edges 25and 21 extend beyond the inner face of thepanels I3, I4 and I5., This inwardlyprojecting edge of the right angle corner plates 25 provides a bearing surfacethat maybe engaged by the, guid ebar surface 2I of the next smaller section I2y of the afwningv. mounted, as shown in Fig. 7, the inwardly'projecting edge V21 will engage the guidebar 2I,but the inner projecting edge 26 willbe engaged by the outwardly extending hookmembers 22,of the next smaller Jsection thereby providing a stop to limit the outwardly-telescoping action of tlie'sec- The plate and theright angle corner-plate are preferablymade of a heavier gauge than the light aluminum gauge from. which the panels I3,l I4 and I5 are constructed. By making these plates of heavierv gauge each frame is made stronger and rigidwhich could not be obtained if a piece of light material ofthe same gauge were employed. Again vIl wish to point out that this. gauge provides a better bearing engaging surface than the light gauge'aluminum. f As shown in Fig. 2 each of the flanges I'I on the side panels I4 and I5 mask the space between If the right angle corner plate y25v-is the top pana I3 by the rivets rubber cushion not shown may be employed as a stop between these members. Thus, the flange 24, which is a portion of the rigid frame made up by the flanges Il and 23, provides a stop to .limit the extent of the inward telescoping action of the collapsible awning.

Ihe lower end of the side panels I4 and I5 of each of; thesections are rounded and provided with a concentricopening as illustrated. at v28. The largest section I I, as shown in Fig. 1, provides the bearing for receiving the bolt 30 on which each of the sections are pivoted. The bolt 30 ex. tends through the openings 28 in each of the sections and the hole 28 may be formed by pressing the stock of the opening into a washer of material thicknessand thus hold thewasher tightly to the side panel on the inner surface thereof. The thickness of these washers is equivalent to the spacing required between the adjacentpanel The spacing is such that the guide plates do nothave toengage thel corner plates unless the panels are twisted or moved laterally. In this. way the washer not only functionsV to maintain the proper spacing at the lowerend'of the panels, but also provides an increased bear.

ing surface for each of the sections of the col-. lapsible awning. d Y Y r v This collapsible awning may be raised and lowered by means of a rope 34 attached to the smallest and innermost section, which rope would be v drawn upwardly to the frame where it may be looped through plastic rings suchas indicated at 3I and 32 vand then drawn down and secured to the fastening means as indicated at 33 onthe panel I5 ofthe innermost or smallestsection as shown in Fig. 2. Thus by unlatching the' rope fromthe fastening means 33 the awning maybe drawn upmn its collapsed position, as shownfin Fig. 2, and tied rin place or it may be loosened and permitted to open to any lextent desired in view of the fact that the rope is only attached tothe smallest andinnermost section. This sec-` tion must, `of course, be raised to pick up each section in turn when .collapsing the awning.

lll/IodiiicationA of the guide bar is shown in Fig-1 ures 1 0, 1l and 1 2 wherein the plates employed 1n forming the joint between the side panels I4 and the top panels I3may -be constructed to hold the outer end of the latter bent over as shownatV 3l in.v Fig. 10. The guide bar plate 38 carries the outward extension 22, and also extends. laterally beyond the end o f the top panel I3 and. then downwardly around the bottom edge 31, as shown at 39, and is returned over the top edge of the panel I 4 as indicated at 40. The inwardly' projecting' flange I5 has been eliminated from thetop of the panel I4. The guide Vbar 4I 'is formed and it may.. operate `against the inner surface 42 of the next larger plate. I K I VA similar structure is shown in Fig. 11 wherein theplate da extends' outwardly and downwardly to form the guide bar 44 and then folds up over the end 31 and the top of the panel I4 and downwardly to provide the inner surfacel 45I the only difference between the structures of Figs. .10 and 11 lbeing the position, of the guide bar relative to the panel I3.

A similar structure is shown in Fig. 12 wherein the guide bar is formed at 45 from the plate member that is riveted to the under side of the vat the corners, which have the outwardly projecting flange between the side and top panels, the structure is still very light but very strong in view of the fact that these plates are not large even though made from a heavier gauge, yet they provide a materially stiffer section than could be obtained otherwise.

I claim:

A collapsible awning comprising a series of inverted U-shaped sections nested in telescopic relation and pivotally mounted in spaced relation to each other to allow'for ventilation therebetween, each awningsection having a top and two side panels, an inturned flange at the upper end of each side panel, a :dat stiffening bearing plate fastened between each inturned flange and the end of its corresponding top panel, an outwardly extending marginal flange along the front edge of each side and top panel, a fiat stiifening right angle corner plate connecting the adjacent ends of the outwardly extending flanges of each side and top panel of each awning section, said outwardly extending marginal anges and said stiffening right angle corner'plates defining a continuous rigid frame on the face of each awning section to stiien the same, the rigid frame of each consecutive awning section overlapping a portion of the frame of the next adjacent larger awning section to mask the Ventilating space between the corresponding panels of the next adjacent larger awning section when the awning sections are telescoped, a rearward extension on the marginal flange of each top panel to engage a portion of the marginal flange of the next larger awning section when the awning is collapsed in telesoopicrelation to space the awning sections from each other, said iiat stiil'ening right angle corner plates each having a horizontal and a vertical projection inwardly of the top and side panels respectively, a rearward extension o n each of said flat stiiening bearing plates to engage the horizontal inward projection of said at stiftening right angle corner plates of the next adjacent larger awning section to limit the outward telescopic movement of each awning section, and a lateral continuous portion on each of said at stiffening bearing plates to engage the vertical inward projection oi the flat stiiening right angle corner plate of the next adjacent larger awning section and prevent their panel faces from scraping one another.

FREDERICK E. NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 315,250 Cook Apr. 7, 1885 1,771,554 Bollheimer July 29, 1930 1,835,694 Cloud Dec. 8, 1931 1,839,052 Richardson Dec. 29, 1931 2,538,286 Todd Jan. 16, 1951 

